What Happened to Surrender?

What happened to full Surrender?

If you went to a Christian camp, youth conference, or Revival meeting, then there is a good chance you at one point you made the decision to surrender your life to God. If you have made that decision, then you know the truly pure moment that it was.

Romans 12:1 - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Allowing God to have full control of your life is liberating.

Funny isn’t it? We feel most free when we are most surrendered.

I too made that decision at a young age. I felt so inspired and driven to let God have all of me and to do “Big things” with my life. I personally am a more sober person with a deep personality. That caused me to struggle most of my growing up years. I dealt with a lot of stress due to the extremely serious way that I viewed life. But, that personality trait is what also helped me out. It helped me to realize the great importance of truly letting God have all of me. I stressed from the time I was young about how God was going to use me “when I got older”. I wanted God to do more than average things with my life. I feared living a mundane Christian life, but didn’t know how to ensure that wouldn’t happen.

Then… I grew up. My major decisions were made. Where I would go to college, who I would marry, where I would serve, many desired goals were accomplished. I quickly realized that if we are not careful, we can get comfortable. We can begin to focus on the more simple things of life now that we are somewhat “settled.” Making money, hanging with friends, keeping of the home, church events, etc. All of those are good, God-given responsibilities. But, if we are not careful, we can begin to live without that mindset of true and passionate surrender. What amount of your time is given to things of true value? Who are you investing in? What areas are you begging God to use you in?

In short, where is your (and my) hunger to be used of God?

If you are going to be fully surrendered to what God would have for you, you have to surrender to His daily will. It’s great to surrender once; to make the proclamation and to determine in your heart. But the surest way to do God’s entire will for your life is to do His every day will for your life. One day doing His will, and another day doing His will will result in a life lived doing His will.

How can we be fully surrendered each day?

1-    Surrender our will through prayer

We need to understand the intense need we have for God’s touch on our lives. Now more than ever we can visibly see our deep need for His hand on us.

Who is in charge of our day? God, or our schedule?

If we want to be used of God, we must ask Him each day through prayer to reign in our life.

2-    Surrender our hearts and minds through God’s Word

As the song says, “Promises, Promises, and all of them true.” When we learn the promises of God, we see the absolute truth and inerrancy. When we believe and see the power of Scripture, we will allow it to be the guide in our life. God did not leave us to figure out this life on our own, yet we live our daily lives as if that is so. When we are surrendered to God’s Word, we will willingly obey His Word and will allow its power to teach and guide us. We will live according to the principles of the Bible. We will live motivated to do the things that please Him.

3-    Surrender being comfortable

 If we are going to truly be used of God, we must see how He sees, we must feel what He feels, we must care how He cares. So quickly we can be consumed with us- our schedule, our friends, our pleasure. When we live with God in the driver’s seat, big things happen. When we are allowing God to have control of our day, we will live out His plan for our future. If you want to influence people and exemplify the love of Christ, then let Christ have you. Surrender that need to live each day according to what is on your agenda. Choose to as Pastor Chappell says, “Obey every impulse of the Holy Spirit.”

If you have lost the joy that surrender brings, get your joy back! Live your life for things of value! Purpose to let God use you each day. Don’t let the Devil deceive you into thinking that a comfortable self-consumed life will make you happy! Give God your all each day.